Water-level-indicating device for boilers.



M. G. QUIGLEY. WATER LEVBL'INDIUATING DEVICE FOR BOILERS. APPLIGATIONFILED MAY24, 1912.

1 ,07 3,5 1 8 Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

' SHEETS-SHEET 1. Fi .1. t;

M. G. QUIGLEY.

WATER LEVEL INDIOATING DEVICE FOR BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1912.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

16 b #mg for steam boilers, and has MARTIN GRIFFIN QUIGLEY, oronannn's'rown. massncnusnrrs.

WATER-LEVELJNDICATING DEVICE 'FOR BOILERS.

' Specification 6r Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

Application filed May 24, 1912. {Serial No. 699,590.

To all whom it may concern:

1 Be it known that I, MARTIN G. QUIGLEY, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a a resident of Charlestown, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Water Level Indicating Devices for Boilers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to pressure gages for its particular object theprovision of means within a single casing, of devices for determiningthe steam pressure within the boilers and also the water level therein.

It has for a further object the provision of means whereby two similardevices are inclosed within a single casing, each of which is adaptedtoindicate the steam pressure within the boiler so that one is a checkupon the other.

The invention consists further in the pro-- vision of mechanism withinsaid casing whereby the pressure difference between the steam pressureand said pressure plus the water pressure in the boiler is indicated.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of constructionand arrange ment of parts which will be fully understood by reference tothe description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

()f the drawings: Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a boiler ofany ordinary type showing the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of a gage embodyin the features ofthe present invention. ig. 3 represents an elevation of the same,showing the cover removed and a portion of the same, including the tubesup porting block, broken in section. Fig. 4 represents a horizontalsection of the same, the

cutting plane being on line 4-4 on Fig. 3,

and Fig. 5 represents a horizontal'sect-ion of the tube supportingblock, the cutting plane being on line 55 0 Fig. 3.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figuresof the draw- 1n Til the drawings 10 represents a boiler of any knownconstruction providedwith the .7 stack '11.

The-upper water level is indicated at a,

the normal thereof at b while the lower wa; ter level is indicated at c,

all onFig. 1 of a valve 18.

the drawings. From a point above the level a and communicating with thesteam compartment in the interior of the boiler 10 is a pipe 12 havingformed therein a trap 13 operated by a valve 14. The outer end of thispipe 12 communicates with the casing member 15, said casing 15 alsocommunicating by means of a pipe 16 with the interior of the boiler 10below the water level 0. The pipe 12 is provided with a valve 17 whilethe pipe 16 is similarly provided with These pipes 12 and 16 arethreaded to a block 19 within the casing member 15. The steam pipe 12communicates directly with the two vspring tubes 20 and 21 within thecasing 15, while through a lateral passage 22 it communicates with aspring tube 23. The free ends of the tubular pipes 21-23 areconnectcd bylinks 24 and 25 with the segments 26 and 27 as indicated in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings. The segment 26 meshes with the pinion 28 formed upon thespindle 29 rcvolubly mounted in the casing 15 and having secured to itsouter end the pointer 30.

Loosely mounted upon the spindle 29 is a sleeve 31 having formcd thereonthe pinion teeth 32which mesh with the teeth of the segment 27. As steamis admitted to the tubes 21 and 23 the increased pressure therein tendsto straighten these tubes and cause a movement of the segments 26 and 27about the pivots 33 and 3 1 respectively] The sleeve 31 has secured toits outer end a pointer 33. As the segmei ts 26 and 27 move about thepivots 33 d 34. the pointers 30 and 33 movein opposite directions aboutthe graduated arcs 35 and 35* respectively, these arcs bein graduated inopposite directions, and i the device is accurately operating thepointers30 and 33 will always point at the same graduation on each ofthe graduated arcs. Should these pointers not,correspond some adjustmentof the device is necessary-in order to secure a proper reading and anaccurate indication of the pressure within the steam compartment of theboiler. The water pipe 16 connects with the passage 34* in the block 19and communicates with the spring tube 35. The free end of this tube 35is connected by means of a link 36 to a member 37, pivoted at 38, theopposite end of which is connected by a link 39 to the outer end of thespring tube 20. The pivot member 37 is 'connected i It is obvious thatthe spring water gages are and asaconsequence the pipe cated by thevariation in the readings of.

' the pressure by means of a link 39 to the end of an arm 40 forming apart of a gear. segment 41 which meshes with the pinion 42 secured tothe shaft 43, on the outer end of which is" a pointer 44 'coacting withthe graduated are 45. i

When the conditions are normal in .the boiler 10 the pointer 44 will bein the position indicated in Fig; '2 of the drawings relative to thegraduated arc 45, but as the waterlevel becomes increased thepointer 44will move to the right of said figure, and its highest limit of safetywill be indicated when the pointer reaches the point marked'H, while,when the water l evel creases, the lowest point of safety will beindicated when the pointer 44 reach actuated by. steam pressure alone,while the tube 3.5 'is actuated by the pressure of water plus the steampressure and the combined action of the tubes 20 and 35 under thepressure diiference between the two to be indicated on the graduated are45. When desired to secure the pressure upon the water in the boiler 10this may be readily determined by closing the valve 17 and permittingthe pointer 44 to be moved wholly by means of pressure contained withinthe spring tube 35. Preferably the are 45 is graduated in inches sothat'the exact amount 0 water. in the boiler is at all times indicatedby means of the pointer 1 By means of this device the usual glassentirely dispensed with, breakage of these gages by too much pressureand the consequent flying glass is entirely eliminated. Anotheradvantage of the presen is that as the pipes are those used in,connection with the ordinary glass water gages they are not liable to010,931

up. In the present construction the expense of constant renewal ofglasses and rubber gaskets is obviated, and the time and labor-inrenewing-these glasses'and gaskets is saved; Y r A The collecting. trapvalve by hand, and asa'consequence the fireman must be attending to hisduty at all times or anv neglect thereof will be indicated by the gageas the gage will give afalsereading when the condition of said trap issuch as to preventthe free passage of steam through 12. This falsereading will be indi- .-the two steam gages.

- n Another advantage is construction the gage may be brought down mtoposition that it may-be readily that by the present accessible tothekfireman so read, while in some types of boilers'where the watergages are used the gage is so high that it is almost impossible for thefireman to read it accu-' contained therein will cause cock.

much larger than 14 is operated rately. Thereading of the steam gage, owing to the multiplicity of spring tubes, is more accurate than that ofabsingle gage, and by closing the valve18 steam may admitted into thespring tube 20 to operate the pointer 44 so that the reading of thispointer may be compared withthat of the pointers 33 and 35 to determinetheir accuracy. This, of course, we sary when the steam gages fered.

Much dificulty has been found to exist in the ordinary glass water gagesowing to materially diftheir exploding and resulting in injuries to theengineers and firemen, and as a consequence many en 'neers on highpressure have dispensed entirely with the water glass and depend uponthe gage cocks alone.

happens that a fireman is called away for a few minutes and he leavesthe proper level. Meanwhile the pump starts up faster and when hereturns he endeavors to discover the tion of the water level by means ofthe glass gage cocks, and he loses much time in so doing, this lost timepossibly meaning the blowing out of a cylinder head. Again, it sometimeshappens that a fireman come in to start upin the morning and find nowater in either glass or bott Then, unless he is an old hand, he drawsthe fire and causes a long shutdown until he finds his water and firesup again. By means of the present invention these objections areentirely overcome because water level can be traced very readily to anydesired level both above and below the gage 111 at all times note the.fluctuations accuratelyfand finally, by experimenting, dete e how tofirehis-particular boiler and get the best results.

It is believed that the. operation and many advantages of e invention w'thOIZc oughly understood from the foregoing.

Having claim: 7 r p l 1; In a Qdevice of the class described,combination with a casing member of two spring ubes therein; meansconnecting one of said tubes with to steam compartment of a boiler;means connecting the other tube with said boiler below the water leveltherein; a graduated scale; a pointer coacting therewith; a spindletherefor; a gear onsaid spindle; a gear segment meshing therewith; apivoted member;linksposite endsthereof with the free-ends of said tubes;and a between saidpiyoted member-and said segment. l

2. In a device of the lass combination with a casing spring tubestherein; means for connecting. the steam compartment 'ofa boiler withone descfitai ii e" member; of-two d only be necesboilers having 7 Wherea water glass is used.

condlv the connecting the op l of said tubes; means for connecting theother tween the ends of said pivoted member and 10 tube with the boilerbelow the water level the free ends of said spring tubes.

therein; a graduated arc; a pointer coacting Signed by me at 4 PostOffice Sq., Boston, therewith; a spindle to which said pointer Mass,this 21st day of May, 1912.

is secured; a pinion on said spindle; a bell M ARTIN GRIFFIN QUIGLEYcrank lever provided with a gear segment meshing with said pinion; apivoted mem- Witnesses:

ber; a link between said member and said WALTER E. LOMBARD,

bell crank lever; and link connections be- NATHAN C. LOMBARD.

